This restaurant is single handedly saving the reputation of one of SF most iconic dishes the ciopinno. This is the only one worth paying for in SF. its incredible
William Keck
I’ve been to restaurants all over the world and this is up there in the top for seafood. We tried just about everything on the menu.
The Ciopinno with garlic bread is an absolute dream. Save the sauce from the clams for more dipping. Order several oysters for palate cleansers between dishes because they’re RICH. When they ask if you want the bib, proudly say yes.
Keep it (un?)healthy with the delicious artichoke. You know it’s done well when you can scrape the entire leaf, not just the tip. Don’t sleep on the chowder. And by god please get the ceasar with crab meat. Save up and spend it. Don’t skimp. The wait means you won’t be back a lot so double dip, sip and be happy.
A few notes. Get there very early and still expect a wait. I hate waits but this one is worth it. Their wine is not to die for, especially for the quality of food. The wine store across the street is phenomenal so buy wine there and pay the corkage fee - you’ll thank me later. Also, join their wine club if you’re in the city to take advantage of the best back patio in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Small Cioppino Big Enough to Share, Chowder, Salad, Cracked Dungeness Crab, Caesar Salad with Crabmeat, Steamed Artichoke, Garlic Toast, Oysters on the Half Shell, Corkage
Ariel Servin
We visited on a weekend evening and waited over an hour, as they do not take reservations and the space is small. It is a popular spot and still worth trying, though a less busy night may be more enjoyable. We ordered the Caesar salad and the large cioppino. The Caesar was a generous portion for two and overall good, though the dressing was lighter than expected. The croutons were excellent and easily the standout of the salad. The large cioppino was the highlight. The broth looked tomato based but leaned more toward spiced flavors than tomato. It was filled with crab, crab legs, shrimp, fish, clams, and mussels, all well prepared, and bibs were provided since it can get messy. Overall, Anchor Oyster Bar is worth a visit, especially if you can go on a quieter night to avoid the long wait.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
T G
Long wait but worth it! Great chowder and cioppino, fresh and flavourful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Joe Korts
Been coming here for almost 40 years. Shared many plates; everything is always delicious. I wish they would bring back my all time favorite which is the roasted trout in a brown butter sage sauce. One of the best around but has been absent for too many years! Rose, please!!!!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Jordan J (Jordan)
Buxley the AI Bandit says this: Kara Swisher needs to cover the bandit… I don’t know why anyone isn’t covering this homeless no cell phone man… Launching in March, over 150 languages already in play. Hyper compute coming soon. Ciao. From no one knows where, United States.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Olivia Gutierrez
We got there around 6:15P on a Thursday, there was a small line but you just write your name on the white board and hang out until you're called. It wasn't a terribly long wait time considering the restaurant is very small. Everything we ordered was so well seasoned and fresh. I had a hankering for cioppino and it did not disappoint. It was a bit more herb forward that I was used to but it was delicious nonetheless! Also no pasta in the cioppino - as it should be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Small Cioppino Big Enough to Share, Boston Clam Chowder, Crab Cake Entree Served
Jill B
Best seafood spot in the Castro. Wait times are worth it. Cioppino is a must have: assortment of fresh seafood in a deep, rich tomato broth with fresh herbs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeanette Hinojosa
Small restaurant. Long wait was worth it... Food was delicious. Crab cakes and potatoes and salad and garlic bread. Great service 👌
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angel Velarde
The best Cioppino in the city. Fresh dozen oyster platter. Bomb creamy clam chowder.
I have lived in San Francisco over 25 years and have always wanted to try Anchor Oyster Bar- I finally made it! It did not disappoint! We had the Clam Chowder, Crab Cakes, Cioppino and Oyster Shooters- all were amazing. This restaurant is an icon and does not disappoint. The best part about the meal was Jessie the server. She was amazing and beyond!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Sharpe
Anchor oyster bar is everything I look for in a restaurant. I prefer local, smallish, hole in the wall, old, well-established, not touristy restaurants. Anchor checks all those boxes. It is small, but it is classy & the ambience cannot be beat. It has been in business since 1977. The food is beyond delicious. The Cioppino is a revelation. I can’t possibly recommend this restaurant enough. It’s my kind of place. It’s a lot of people‘s kind of place!! It is truly a gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood, Small Cioppino Big Enough to Share
Sam H
Oh my god! We had a fantastic meal here, I can't speak highly enough of this place. In fact I wanted to go back the next night and try other things it was so good. We shared everything and started with the daily oysters and all were amazing - cold and fresh, my husband is dreaming of them and the mignonette sauce that went with them. Then we had Artichokes with a citrus aioli, delicious, followed by Scallops then Fettuccine Alfredo with Dungeness Crab on top, it was sublime, not too creamy or cheesy and plenty of crab on top. We also had a delicious Sancerre to wash it all down. Fantastic, well done Anchor team, we'll be back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Korin Sanda
10/10 would recommend and return! Every dish was delicious, service was superb and atmosphere clean and quaint. I recommend arriving early to find parking and to put your name on the list posted outside the front door
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barry Schmell
Anchor Oyster Bar is an icon in San Francisco in the heart of the Castro neighborhood. While their hours and space are limited, it's well worth the wait. The seafood selection is top quality and service is friendly & professional. I love the open kitchen with aromas that make you salvage.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Boston Clam Chowder, Crab Cake Entree Served, Salad, Caesar Salad with Crabmeat
This restaurant is single handedly saving the reputation of one of SF most iconic dishes the ciopinno. This is the only one worth paying for in SF. its incredible
I’ve been to restaurants all over the world and this is up there in the top for seafood. We tried just about everything on the menu.
The Ciopinno with garlic bread is an absolute dream. Save the sauce from the clams for more dipping. Order several oysters for palate cleansers between dishes because they’re RICH. When they ask if you want the bib, proudly say yes.
Keep it (un?)healthy with the delicious artichoke. You know it’s done well when you can scrape the entire leaf, not just the tip. Don’t sleep on the chowder. And by god please get the ceasar with crab meat. Save up and spend it. Don’t skimp. The wait means you won’t be back a lot so double dip, sip and be happy.
A few notes. Get there very early and still expect a wait. I hate waits but this one is worth it. Their wine is not to die for, especially for the quality of food. The wine store across the street is phenomenal so buy wine there and pay the corkage fee - you’ll thank me later. Also, join their wine club if you’re in the city to take advantage of the best back patio in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Small Cioppino Big Enough to Share, Chowder, Salad, Cracked Dungeness Crab, Caesar Salad with Crabmeat, Steamed Artichoke, Garlic Toast, Oysters on the Half Shell, Corkage
We visited on a weekend evening and waited over an hour, as they do not take reservations and the space is small. It is a popular spot and still worth trying, though a less busy night may be more enjoyable. We ordered the Caesar salad and the large cioppino. The Caesar was a generous portion for two and overall good, though the dressing was lighter than expected. The croutons were excellent and easily the standout of the salad. The large cioppino was the highlight. The broth looked tomato based but leaned more toward spiced flavors than tomato. It was filled with crab, crab legs, shrimp, fish, clams, and mussels, all well prepared, and bibs were provided since it can get messy. Overall, Anchor Oyster Bar is worth a visit, especially if you can go on a quieter night to avoid the long wait.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Long wait but worth it! Great chowder and cioppino, fresh and flavourful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Been coming here for almost 40 years. Shared many plates; everything is always delicious.
I wish they would bring back my all time favorite which is the roasted trout in a brown butter sage sauce. One of the best around but has been absent for too many years! Rose, please!!!!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Buxley the AI Bandit says this: Kara Swisher needs to cover the bandit… I don’t know why anyone isn’t covering this homeless no cell phone man… Launching in March, over 150 languages already in play. Hyper compute coming soon. Ciao. From no one knows where, United States.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We got there around 6:15P on a Thursday, there was a small line but you just write your name on the white board and hang out until you're called. It wasn't a terribly long wait time considering the restaurant is very small. Everything we ordered was so well seasoned and fresh. I had a hankering for cioppino and it did not disappoint. It was a bit more herb forward that I was used to but it was delicious nonetheless! Also no pasta in the cioppino - as it should be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Small Cioppino Big Enough to Share, Boston Clam Chowder, Crab Cake Entree Served
Best seafood spot in the Castro. Wait times are worth it. Cioppino is a must have: assortment of fresh seafood in a deep, rich tomato broth with fresh herbs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Small restaurant.
Long wait was worth it... Food was delicious. Crab cakes and potatoes and salad and garlic bread.
Great service 👌
Food: 5
Service: 5
The best Cioppino in the city. Fresh dozen oyster platter. Bomb creamy clam chowder.
Restaurantji Recommends
I have lived in San Francisco over 25 years and have always wanted to try Anchor Oyster Bar- I finally made it! It did not disappoint! We had the Clam Chowder, Crab Cakes, Cioppino and Oyster Shooters- all were amazing. This restaurant is an icon and does not disappoint. The best part about the meal was Jessie the server. She was amazing and beyond!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anchor oyster bar is everything I look for in a restaurant. I prefer local, smallish, hole in the wall, old, well-established, not touristy restaurants. Anchor checks all those boxes. It is small, but it is classy & the ambience cannot be beat. It has been in business since 1977. The food is beyond delicious. The Cioppino is a revelation. I can’t possibly recommend this restaurant enough. It’s my kind of place. It’s a lot of people‘s kind of place!! It is truly a gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood, Small Cioppino Big Enough to Share
Oh my god! We had a fantastic meal here, I can't speak highly enough of this place. In fact I wanted to go back the next night and try other things it was so good. We shared everything and started with the daily oysters and all were amazing - cold and fresh, my husband is dreaming of them and the mignonette sauce that went with them. Then we had Artichokes with a citrus aioli, delicious, followed by Scallops then
Fettuccine Alfredo with Dungeness Crab on top, it was sublime, not too creamy or cheesy and plenty of crab on top. We also had a delicious Sancerre to wash it all down. Fantastic, well done Anchor team, we'll be back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
10/10 would recommend and return! Every dish was delicious, service was superb and atmosphere clean and quaint. I recommend arriving early to find parking and to put your name on the list posted outside the front door
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anchor Oyster Bar is an icon in San Francisco in the heart of the Castro neighborhood. While their hours and space are limited, it's well worth the wait. The seafood selection is top quality and service is friendly & professional. I love the open kitchen with aromas that make you salvage.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Boston Clam Chowder, Crab Cake Entree Served, Salad, Caesar Salad with Crabmeat
Loading...